Ramez Naam

Until about six weeks ago, I had never heard of Ramez Naam. He's not a celebrity. At least not yet. He is an author, who at one time was a senior software development executive at Microsoft.

Ramez Naam

After I read a review of Naam's book, The Infinite Resource, I decided to  read it myself.  I've read a fair number of what I would call the 'Earth is in deep trouble and here's how we make it right' books. As these things go, Naam's book is designed to reassure.

After I started reading The Infinite Resource, I learned that Naam also had two new science fiction novels recently published. The first is Nexus, and the second, a sequel, is called Crux. Anyway, I felt compelled to read both. These two novels are balls to the wall; exciting, and thoroughly engaging.  I've already published blog entries reviewing each of Naam's three books. Clicking on the titles earlier in this paragraph will take the reader to those reviews.

So, now with a little time having passed since I read Ramez Naam's books, I've been able to reflect on what motivates him. Money is not likely what he's after.  I'm guessing he has a snoot full socked away from when he was at Microsoft.  His wealth is probably what allows him to pursue a public life as a successful and influential author.  I think he wants to be influential.  I think he wants to be a change agent of the highest order.   Without question, Ramez Naam is exceedingly well informed. His choices as a writer suggest that he wants to get his readers thinking about the dysfunctional world we know. He wants to reassure them that as unsettling as things look at the moment, there is plenty of reason for hope. He wants his readers to see things through optimistic eyes, just as he does. He believes progress starts with an informed and motivated citizenry.

Naam's two novels, Nexus and Crux are very entertaining. They are also grounded very effectively in a revelatory scenario that may foreshadow a conflict that could emerge before we are halfway through the 21st century. The dark human dynamics at work in Nexus and Crux are also very much in evidence in the sociology and politics of our own time.

Ramez Naam is on his way to becoming a literary force. That will be a very good thing.  If I had his ear, I would urge him to give much of his attention to writing fiction. He's very good at it. Moreover, I would encourage him vigorously to focus his writing on stories about the times we live in now. If he does that; if he engages his readers on the vexing challenges that are impacting our world right at this moment, he can become one of the world's great champions for a life-affirming, sustainable future;  a future that reveres the natural world, while putting the welfare of the many over that of a privileged few.

Here is a link to Ramez Naam's website...  http://rameznaam.com/